Henry VII

• What were Henry VII's claims to the throne?


  >Claim through female line through his mother Margaret Beaufort, line through John of Gaunt's son Edward III's third wife Katherine Swynford, who was born before marriage -> illegitimate.

  >No other suitable candidates for Lancastrians.
• What happened in the Battle of Bosworth?


  On the 22nd August 1485, Henry VII arrived to England from exile in Brittany. HVII eventually secured support from his stepfamily, Lord Thomas Stanley and Sir William Stanley. Some of Richard III's allies defected, such as Earl of Northumberland, which weakened his position. The Earl of Oxford commanded Henry's army, and was arguably the most significant contribution to his victory.
• How did Henry secure his throne in August 1485?


  >Backdated his reign to the day before, 21st, so that any Yorkists were seen as traitors to King Henry.

  >Gave out 11 knighthoods & many public rewards to encourage more to support him.

  >Detained Edward, Earl of Warwick, who had a good claim to the throne due to being Edward IV's nephew.

  >Arrested future wife, Elizabeth of York, so that she couldn't marry anyone else, due to their union being vital for his claim & power.
• What were Henry's character and aims?

  >Reduce the power of the nobles who took advantage of previous instability in the Wars of the Roses.

  >Consolidate power & keep the throne -> establish new Tudor dynasty.

  >Improve finances & foreign relations.

  >Was in exile in Brittany for a long time & had a weak claim to the throne -> shrewd, calculating & self-restrained character.
• How did Henry secure his throne in October 1485?


  >Had his coronation a week before his 1st parliament to show his right to the throne was hereditary.

  >Made key appointments to Council & Household -> Sir Reginald Bray as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster & Sir William Stanley as Chamberlain of the household.

  >Issued Acts of Attainder at 1st parliament-> Yorkists who fought at Bosworth's property became forfeit to the Crown.

  >Increased his finances by having rights to tonnage & poundage for life at his 1st parliament.
• How did Henry secure the throne in 1486?


  >January -> married Elizabeth of York, union between Houses of Lancaster & York, consolidation of his power.

  >September -> an heir, Prince Arthur, was born, which guaranteed HVII's longevity of the Tudor dynasty as he was descended from both Houses.
• What threat happened in 1486?

  >Minor uprising of Yorkists Viscount Lovell & Thomas and Humphrey Stafford, who had some power in Yorkshire & Midlands.

  >Attracted little support and was easily suppressed, Henry sent his uncle Jasper Tudor to offer pardons to anyone who left.

  >Outcome: Lovell disappeared, Humphrey executed & Thomas pardoned, shows Henry could be lenient to Yorkists. Yorkists realised need for figurehead & funds.

  >Significance: showed that there was lack of support for Yorkist uprisings.
• What threat happened in 1487?

  >Yorkist conspiracy arranged by Earl of Lincoln, who claimed Lambert Simnel was the imprisoned Earl of Warwick. He was crowned as King in Ireland.

  >Henry responded by parading the real Earl of Warwick in London.

  >Earl of Lincoln went to the court of Margaret of Burgundy (Richard's sister) to support Simnel's cause and provide mercenaries for invasion.

  >Henry prevented Yorkist support up North by reinstating the now neutral, former Yorkist Earl of Northumberland to power there as his supporter.
• Battle of Stoke: 1487

  >Lincoln's 8k men consisting of 2k foreign mercenaries arrived in Yorkshire, but no support = loss

  >Henry had 12k men commanded by the Earl of Oxford, who had previously helped his victory at Bosworth = win

  >Lincoln's men struggled to communicate due to language barriers = loss

  >The Earl of Northumberland was on Henry's side, more support in Yorkist areas = win

  >Henry's victory in the Battle ended the Wars of the Roses & his position became safe = win

  >Shows that Henry still had threats from the Yorkists = loss
• How did Henry VII navigate post Battle of Stoke in 1487?


  >Leniently treated the rebels, which won some Yorkists.

  >Developed 'bonds of good behaviour' where he provided money to landowners that they did not have to repay if they behaved.
• What significant event began in 1491 involving Perkin Warbeck?


  Perkin Warbeck began to impersonate Richard, Duke of York.
• Who trained Perkin Warbeck to behave like a Yorkist prince?

  Margaret of Burgundy's court trained him.
• In what year did Perkin Warbeck attempt to land in England?


  1495
• What happened to Perkin Warbeck when he attempted to land in England in 1495?


  He was defeated and fled to James IV's court in Scotland.
• Who did Perkin Warbeck marry in 1496?


  James IV's daughter.
• What was the outcome of Perkin Warbeck's attempt to invade England with Scottish forces in 1496?


  He tried and failed to invade England.
• What rebellion did Perkin Warbeck attempt to incite in 1497?


  The Cornish rebellion.
• What happened to Perkin Warbeck after the Cornish rebellion in 1497?


  His forces were crushed, and he surrendered and escaped.
• In what year was Perkin Warbeck tried and executed?

  1499
• Who was executed alongside Perkin Warbeck in 1499?


  The Earl of Warwick.
• What was the significance of the Perkin Warbeck imposture for Henry VII?

  >Patronage from foreign rulers made Warbeck a potential serious threat and demonstrated how fragile Henry's position was to other rulers.

  >In 1495, Henry's step-uncle Sir William Stanley (Lord Chamberlain & Head of Household,) supported Warbeck's cause, showed how vulnerable Henry was even in his own household.
• Who were some significant Yorkist figures who riled up campaigns against Henry VII?

  >Richard De La Pole -> exiled until his death in 1525.

  >Edmund De La Pole -> exiled in Burgundy 1498-1506, then in the Tower of London until death in 1513.

  >John De La Pole -> Earl of Lincoln and died in the Battle of Stoke in 1487.

  >Margaret of Burgundy -> powerful widow ruling over Burgundy & Richard's sister, hated Henry & financed campaigns against him. Got old and faded into irrelevancy, then died.